A secretory function of human insulin-producing cells in vivo

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord blood (UCB-MSCs) have good research and application prospects in the treatment of diabetes. We once induced UCB-MSCs to differentiate into insulin-producing cells (IPCs) in vitro, but we did not know the functions of these cells in vivo. The aim of this study was to assess the functional effects of IPCs on insulin secretion and their role in the treatment of diabetes in vivo. METHODS: UCB-MSCs were induced to IPCs by an inducing protocol with extracellular matrix gel. BALB/C nude mice were made hyperglycemic by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The diabetic mice were transplanted with 1x10(7) IPCs under the renal capsule or with phosphate-buffered saline as a control. After transplantation, the grafts were analyzed by immunocytochemistry for the expression of human insulin; the serum human insulin levels were measured; and blood glucose and body weight status were monitored. RESULTS: Immunofluorescence showed that numerous IPCs under the kidney capsule were insulin-positive. On day 14 after transplantation, the serum human insulin level of the treatment group (n=9) averaged 0.44 +/- 0.12 mU/L, which was higher than that of the control group (n=9) that did not express insulin (t=10.842, P<0.05). The diabetic mice remained hyperglycemic and kept losing body weight after IPC transplantation, and there was no significant difference in the control group. CONCLUSION: IPCs differentiated from UCB-MSCs generate human insulin in diabetic mice, but more research is needed to make further use of them to regulate hyperglycemia and body weight in vivo. (Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2009; 8: 255-260)

In vitro-derived insulin-producing cells modulate Th1 immune responses and induce IL-10 in streptozotocin-induced mouse model of pancreatic insulitis

Background: Insulitis is defined by the presence of immune cells infiltrating in the pancreatic islets that might progress into the complete β-cell loss. The immunomodulatory properties of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(BM-MSCs) have attracted much attention. This study aimed to evaluate the possible immunomodulatory effects of rat BM-MSCs and MSCs-derived insulin-producing cells(IPCs) in a mouse model of pancreatic insulitis. Methods: Insulitis was induced in BALB/c mice using five consecuti ve doses of streptozotocin. MSCs or IPCs were directly injected into the pancreas of mice and their effects on the expression of Th subsetsrelated genes were evaluated. Results: Both BM-MSCs and IPCs significantly reduced the expression of pancreatic Th1-related IFN-γ( P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) and T-bet genes(both P < 0.001). Moreover, the expression of IL-10 gene was significantly increased in IPC-treated compared to BM-MSC-or PBS-treated mice( P < 0.001 both comparisons). Conclusions: BM-MSCs and IPCs could successfully suppress pathologic Th1 immune responses in the mouse model of insulitis. However, the marked increase in IL-10 gene expression by IPCs compared to BM-MSCs suggests that their simultaneous use at the initial phase of autoimmune diabetes might be a better option to reduce inflammation but these results need to be verified by further experiments.

Highly efficient differentiation of human ES cells and iPS cells into mature pancreatic insulin-producing cells

人的 pluripotent 干细胞代表功能的胰腺的内分泌的系房间的潜在地无限的来源。这里，我们报导一条高度有效的途径导致人的胚胎的茎(ES ) 细胞和导致的 pluripotent 茎(iPS ) 在一个定义化学药品的文化系统区分进成熟生产胰岛素的细胞的细胞。这条途径获得的区分的人的 ES 房间由流动 cytometry 分析作为 assayed 包括了将近 25% 胰岛素积极的房间，它以比得上成年人的小岛的一种方式响应葡萄糖刺激释放了 insulin/C-peptide。大多数这些生产胰岛素的房间共同表示成熟尾房间特定的标记象 NKX6-1 和 PDX1 那样，在 vivo 显示一个类似的基因表示模式到成年小岛尾房间。在这研究，我们也证明 EGF 便于 PDX1 积极的胰腺的祖先的扩大。而且，我们的协议也成功了高效地导致人的 iPS 房间区分进生产胰岛素的房间。因此，这个工作不仅提供一个新模型在 vitro 学习人的胰腺的专门化和成熟的机制，而且提高为糖尿病的处理利用病人特定的 iPS 房间的可能性。

In vitro derivation of functional insulin-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells

为人的胚胎的茎(ES ) 的自强和区别的能力细胞为对待类型 Idiabetes mellitus 为胰腺的贝它细胞的产生使他们成为潜在的来源。这里，我们报导一最新发展了并且有效方法，在aserum免费的系统执行了，区分进生产胰岛素的 cells.Activin A 的导致的人的 ES 房间它在起始的阶段被使用从人的 EScells 导致权威的内胚叶区别，是由权威的内胚叶标记 Sox17 和 Brachyury.Further 的表示检测了， all-trans retinoic 酸( RA )被用来支持胰腺的区别，由早胰腺的抄写因素 pdx1 和 hlxb9 的表示显示了。在成熟 inDMEM/F12 以后有 bFGF 和菸碱的没有浆液的媒介，区分的房间表示了小岛特定的标记象 C 肽，胰岛素，胰高血糖素和 glut2 那样。百分比 ofC-peptide-positive 房间超过了 15% 。由这些房间的胰岛素和 C 肽的分泌物在葡萄糖层次对应于变化。当移植了进肾的囊时， ofStreptozotocin (STZ ) 对待裸体老鼠，这些区分的人的 ES 房间熬过并且维持贝它房间标记基因的表示包括 C 肽， pdx1， glucokinase， nkx6.1， IAPP， pax6and Tcf1。百分之三十只移植裸体老鼠展出了 stableeuglycemia 的明显的恢复；并且改正的显型被支撑超过六个星期。我们的新方法为学习人的胰开发的机制提供一个有希望的试管内区别模特儿并且说明为类型 Idiabetes mellitus 的处理使用人的 ES 房间的潜力。

BM-MSCs Differentiated Insulin-Producing Cells Produce More Insulin in Presence of EGF than of FGF

Adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate into islet like cells for the hope of treating diabetes mellitus (DM). The most important part is the differentiation process from na?ve stem cells to fully differentiated fully functional islet cells. For this purpose, we wanted to optimize the current proposed differentiation media by replacing the FGF with EGF and measure insulin production. Bone marrow-derived MSCs were from mice long bones and expanded in cell culture before induction of differentiation. Stem cells surface markers were analyzed by immunocytochemistry. Cultured stem cells were negative for CD34 while they expressed high levels of CD90. Differentiated cells morphology was studied by using H & E stain. Differentiated cells were detected by studying protein expression of insulin as specific marker for IPC differentiation. Cells function was studied by measuring the insulin production in tissue culture supernatant in vitro and also insulin release in response to glucose challenge. Ditizone staining were both positive. Insulin was secreted by these cells in response to different concentrations of glucose stimulation in a regulated manner. Cells induced with formula contain EGF produced more insulin in the same formula but contain FGF instead, this prove that EGF is the best to use during differentiation process.

Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing cells promoted by Nkx2.2 gene transfer

AIM: To investigate the ability of a genetically altered embryonic stem (ES) cell line to generate insulin-producing cells in vitro following transfer of the Nkx2.2 gene.METHODS: Hamster Nkx2.2 genes were transferred into mouse ES cells. Parental and Nkx2.2-transfected ES cells were initiated toward differentiation in embryoid body (EB)culture for 5 d and the resulting EBs were transferred to an attached culture system. Dithizone (DTZ), a zincchelating agent known to selectively stain pancreatic beta cells, was used to detect insulin-producing cells.The outgrowths were incubated in DTZ solution (final concentration, 100 μg/mL) for 15 min before being examined microscopically. Gene expression of the endocrine pancreatic markers was also analyzed by RT-PCR. In addition, insulin production was determined immunohistochemically and its secretion was examined using an ELISA.RESULTS: DTZ-stained cellular clusters appeared after approximately 14 d in the culture of Nkx2.2-transfected ES cells (Nkx-ES cells), which was as much as 2 wk earlier, than those in the culture of parental ES cells (wt-ES). The frequency of DTZ-positive cells among total cultured cells on day 28 accounted for approximately 1.0% and 0.1% of the Nkx-ES- and wt-ES-derived EB outgrowths, respectively. The DTZ-positive cellular clusters were found to be immunoreactive to insulin, while the gene expressions of pancreatic-duodenal homeobox 1(PDX1), proinsulin 1 and proinsulin 2 were observed in the cultures that contained DTZ-positive cellular clusters.Insulin secretion was also confirmed by ELISA, whereas glucose-dependent secretion was not demonstrated.CONCLUSION: Nkx2.2-transfected ES cells showed an ability to differentiate into insulin-producing cells.

Current progress and emerging technologies for generating extrapancreatic functional insulin-producing cells

Diabetes has been one of the major concerns in recent years,due to the increasing rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide.The available treatment strategies for uncontrolled diabetes mellitus(DM)are pancreas or islet transplantation.However,these strategies are limited due to unavailability of quality pancreas/islet donors,life-long need of immunosuppression,and associated complications.Cell therapy has emerged as a promising alternative options to achieve the clinical benefits in the management of uncontrolled DM.Since the last few years,various sources of cells have been used to convert into insulin-producingβ-like cells.These extrapancreatic sources of cells may play a significant role inβ-cell turnover and insulin secretion in response to environmental stimuli.Stem/progenitor cells from liver have been proposed as an alternative choice that respond well to glucose stimuli under strong transcriptional control.The liver is one of the largest organs in the human body and has a common endodermal origin with pancreatic lineages.Hence,liver has been proposed as a source of a large number of insulinproducing cells.The merging of nanotechnology and 3D tissue bioengineering has opened a new direction for producing islet-like cells suitable for in vivo transplantation in a cordial microenvironment.This review summarizes extrapancreatic sources for insulin-secreting cells with reference to emerging technologies to fulfill the future clinical need.

Induction of pancreatic duct cells of neonatal rats into insulin-producing cells with fetal bovine serum: A natural protocol and its use for patch clamp experiments

AIM: To induce the pancreatic duct cells into endocrine cells with a new natural protocol for electrophysiological study.METHODS: The pancreatic duct cells of neonatal rats were isolated, cultured and induced into endocrine oells with 15% fetal bovine serum for a period of 20 d. During this period, insulin secretion, MTT value, and morphological change of neonatal and adult pancreatic islet cells were comparatively investigated. Pancreatic β-cells were identified by morphological and electrophysiological characteristics, while ATP sensitive potassium channels(KATP), voltage-dependent potassium channels (KV), and voltage-dependent calcium channels (KCA) in β-cells were identified by patch clamp technique.RESULTS: After incubation with fetal bovine serum, the neonatal duct cells budded out, changed from duct-like cells into islet clusters. In the first 4 d, MTT value and insulin secretion increased slowly (MTT value from 0.024±0.003 to0.028±0.003, insulin secretion from 2.6±0.6to 3.1±0.8 mIU/L). Then MTT value and insulin secretion increased quickly from d 5 to d 10 (MTT value from 0.028±0.003 to 0.052±0.008, insulin secretion from 3.1±0.8to 18.3±2.6 mIU/L), then reached high plateau (MTT value ＞0.052±0.008, insulin secretion ＞18.3±2.6 mIU/L).In contrast, for the isolated adult pancreatic islet cells,both insulin release and MTT value were stable in the first 4 d (MTT value from 0.029±0.01 to 0.031±0.011,insulin secretion from 13.9±3.1 to 14.3±3.3 mIU/L), but afterwards they reduced gradually (MTT value ＜0.031±0.011, insulin secretion ＜8.2±1.5 mIU/L), and the pancrearic islet cells became dispersed, broken or atrophied correspondingly. The differentiated neonatal cells were identified as pancreatic islet cells by dithizone staining method, and pancreatic β-cells were further identified by both morphological features and electrophysiological characteristics, i.e. the existence of recording currents from KATP KV, and KCA.CONCLUSION: Islet cells differentiated from neonatal pancreatic duct cells with the new natural protocol are more advantageous in performing patch clamp study over the isolated adult pancreatic islet cells.

In vitro pancreas duodenal homeobox-1 enhances the differentiation of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells into insulin-producing cells

AIM: To observe whether pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor-1 enhances the differentiation of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells into insulin-producing cells in vitro. METHODS: Rat pancreatic tissue was submitted to digestion by collegenase, ductal epithelial cells were separated by density gradient centrifugation and then cultured in RPMI1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum. After 3-5 passages, the cells were incubated in a six-well plate for 24 h before transfection of recombination plasmid XlHbox8VP16. Lightcycler quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of PDX-1 and insulin mRNA in pancreatic epithelial cells. The expression of PDX-1 and insulin protein was analyzed by Western blotting. Insulin secretion was detected by radioimmunoassay. Insulin- producing cells were detected by dithizone-staining. RESULTS: XlHbox8 mRNA was expressed in pancreatic ductal epithelial cells. PDX-1 and insulin mRNA as well as PDX-1 and insulin protein were signifi cantly increased in the transfected group. The production and insulin secretion of insulin-producing cells differentiated from pancreatic ductal epithelial cells were higher than those of the untransfected cells in vitro with a significant difference (1.32 ± 0.43 vs 3.48 ± 0.81, P < 0.01 at 5.6 mmol/L; 4.86 ± 1.15 vs 10.25 ± 1.32, P < 0.01 at 16.7 mmol/L). CONCLUSION: PDX-1 can differentiate rat pancreaticductal epithelial cells into insulin-producing cells in vitro. In vitro PDX-1 transfection is a valuable strategy for increasing the source of insulin-producing cells.

Transplantation of insulin-producing cells to treat diabetic rats after 90% pancreatectomy

AIM:To investigate the effects of transplantation of insulin-producing cells(IPCs) in the treatment of diabetic rats after 90% pancreatectomy.METHODS:Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(UCMSCs) were isolated and induced into IPCs using differentiation medium.Differentiated cells were examined by dithizone(DTZ) staining,reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR),and real-time RT-PCR.C-peptide release,both spontaneously and after glucose challenge,was measured by ELISA.IPCs were then transplanted into Sprague-Dawley rats after 90% pancreatectomy and blood glucose levels and body weight were measured.RESULTS:The differentiated cells were positive for DTZ staining and expressed pancreatic β-cell related genes.C-peptide release by the differentiated cells increased after glucose challenge(380.6 ± 15.32 pmol/L vs 272.4 ± 15.32 pmol/L,P < 0.05).Further,in the cell transplantation group,blood sugar levels were significantly lower than in the sham group 2 wk after transplantation(18.7 ± 2.5 mmol/L vs 25.8 ± 1.25 mmol/L,P < 0.05).Glucose tolerance tests showed that 45 min after intraperitoneal glucose injection,blood glucose levels were significantly lower on day 56 after transplantation of IPCs(12.5 ± 4.7 mmol/L vs 42.2 ± 9.3 mmol/L,P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Our results show that UCMSCs can differentiate into islet-like cells in vitro under certain conditions,which can function as IPCs both in vivo and in vitro.

Role of miR-128/216a Regulating Isl1 Expression during Differentiation of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Cells

Islet-1(Isl1),a LIM homeodomain protein,is expressed in the embryonic pancreatic epithelium.As a key transcription factor,Isl1 can not only regulate insulin gene expression in normal glucose condition but also maintainβ-cell function and impact pancreaticβ-cell target genes.Some experiments have suggested that Micro RNA(miRNA)can play a critical role during the induction of insulinproducing cells(IPCs).However,it is unclear whether miRNA may regulate Isl1 expression during differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(HUMSCs)into IPCs.In this investigation,we induced HUMSCs into IPCs with a modified two-step protocol,activin A,retinoic acid(step1)and conophylline,nicotinamide(step2).To find the miRNA regulating Isl1 expression,we respectively used Target Scan,miRDB and RNAhybrid to predict and got the result,miR-128 and miR-216a.The miRNAs can inhibit Isl1 expression by dual luciferase assay.The results of real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR)showed that Isl1 expression level was almost reciprocal to that of miR-128 and miR-216a during differentiation of HUMSCs into IPCs.Furthermore,over-expression of miR-128 or miR-216a downregulated expression levels of Isl1 and Maf A.Therefore,miR-128 or miR-216a may regulate expression of islet-specific transcription factors to control differentiation of HUMSCs into IPCs.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton＇s jelly differentiate into insulin-producing cells in vitro

Background Islet transplantation is an effective way of reversing type Ⅰ diabetes. However, islet transplantation is hampered by issues such as immune rejection and shortage of donor islets. Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into insulin-producing cells. However, the potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells （huMSCs） to become insulin-producing cells remains undetermined.Methods We isolated and induced cultured huMSCs under islet cell culture conditions. The response of huMSCs were monitored under an inverted phase contrast microscope. Immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence staining methods were used to measure insulin and glucagon protein levels. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was performed to detect gene expression of human insulin and PDX-1. Dithizone-staining was employed to determine the zinc contents in huMSCs. Insulin secretion was also evaluated through radioimmunoassay.Results HuMSCs induced by nicotinamide and β-mercaptoethanol or by neurogenic differentiation 1 gene （NeuroD1）transfection gradually changed morphology from typically elongated fibroblast-shaped cells to round cells. They had a tendency to form clusters. Immunocytochemical studies showed positive expression of human insulin and glucagon in these cells in response to induction. RT-PCR experiments found that huMSCs expressed insulin and PDX-1 genes following induction and dithizone stained the cytoplasm of huMSCs a brownish red color after induction. Insulin secretion in induced huMSCs was significantly elevated compared with the control group （t=6.183, P〈0.05）.Conclusions HuMSCs are able to differentiate into insulin-producing cells in vitro. The potential use of huMSCs in βcell replacement therapy of diabetes needs to be studied further

Cell replacement with stem cell-derived retinal ganglion cells from different protocols

Glaucoma,characterized by a degenerative loss of retinal ganglion cells,is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.There is currently no cure for vision loss in glaucoma because retinal ganglion cells do not regenerate and are not replaced after injury.Human stem cell-derived retinal ganglion cell transplant is a potential therapeutic strategy for retinal ganglion cell degenerative diseases.In this review,we first discuss a 2D protocol for retinal ganglion cell differentiation from human stem cell culture,including a rapid protocol that can generate retinal ganglion cells in less than two weeks and focus on their transplantation outcomes.Next,we discuss using 3D retinal organoids for retinal ganglion cell transplantation,comparing cell suspensions and clusters.This review provides insight into current knowledge on human stem cell-derived retinal ganglion cell differentiation and transplantation,with an impact on the field of regenerative medicine and especially retinal ganglion cell degenerative diseases such as glaucoma and other optic neuropathies.

The combined application of stem cells and three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds for the repair of spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is considered one of the most difficult injuries to repair and has one of the worst prognoses for injuries to the nervous system.Following surgery,the poor regenerative capacity of nerve cells and the generation of new scars can make it very difficult for the impaired nervous system to restore its neural functionality.Traditional treatments can only alleviate secondary injuries but cannot fundamentally repair the spinal cord.Consequently,there is a critical need to develop new treatments to promote functional repair after spinal cord injury.Over recent years,there have been seve ral developments in the use of stem cell therapy for the treatment of spinal cord injury.Alongside significant developments in the field of tissue engineering,three-dimensional bioprinting technology has become a hot research topic due to its ability to accurately print complex structures.This led to the loading of three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds which provided precise cell localization.These three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds co uld repair damaged neural circuits and had the potential to repair the damaged spinal cord.In this review,we discuss the mechanisms underlying simple stem cell therapy,the application of different types of stem cells for the treatment of spinal cord injury,and the different manufa cturing methods for three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds.In particular,we focus on the development of three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Metabolic and proteostatic differences in quiescent and active neural stem cells

Adult neural stem cells are neurogenesis progenitor cells that play an important role in neurogenesis.Therefore,neural regeneration may be a promising target for treatment of many neurological illnesses.The regenerative capacity of adult neural stem cells can be chara cterized by two states:quiescent and active.Quiescent adult neural stem cells are more stable and guarantee the quantity and quality of the adult neural stem cell pool.Active adult neural stem cells are chara cterized by rapid proliferation and differentiation into neurons which allow for integration into neural circuits.This review focuses on diffe rences between quiescent and active adult neural stem cells in nutrition metabolism and protein homeostasis.Furthermore,we discuss the physiological significance and underlying advantages of these diffe rences.Due to the limited number of adult neural stem cells studies,we refe rred to studies of embryonic adult neural stem cells or non-mammalian adult neural stem cells to evaluate specific mechanisms.

High quality repair of osteochondral defects in rats using the extracellular matrix of antler stem cells

BACKGROUND Cartilage defects are some of the most common causes of arthritis.Cartilage lesions caused by inflammation,trauma or degenerative disease normally result in osteochondral defects.Previous studies have shown that decellularized extracellular matrix(ECM)derived from autologous,allogenic,or xenogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs)can effectively restore osteochondral integrity.AIM To determine whether the decellularized ECM of antler reserve mesenchymal cells(RMCs),a xenogeneic material from antler stem cells,is superior to the currently available treatments for osteochondral defects.METHODS We isolated the RMCs from a 60-d-old sika deer antler and cultured them in vitro to 70%confluence;50 mg/mL L-ascorbic acid was then added to the medium to stimulate ECM deposition.Decellularized sheets of adipocyte-derived MSCs(aMSCs)and antlerogenic periosteal cells(another type of antler stem cells)were used as the controls.Three weeks after ascorbic acid stimulation,the ECM sheets were harvested and applied to the osteochondral defects in rat knee joints.RESULTS The defects were successfully repaired by applying the ECM-sheets.The highest quality of repair was achieved in the RMC-ECM group both in vitro(including cell attachment and proliferation),and in vivo(including the simultaneous regeneration of well-vascularized subchondral bone and avascular articular hyaline cartilage integrated with surrounding native tissues).Notably,the antler-stem-cell-derived ECM(xenogeneic)performed better than the aMSC-ECM(allogenic),while the ECM of the active antler stem cells was superior to that of the quiescent antler stem cells.CONCLUSION Decellularized xenogeneic ECM derived from the antler stem cell,particularly the active form(RMC-ECM),can achieve high quality repair/reconstruction of osteochondral defects,suggesting that selection of decellularized ECM for such repair should be focused more on bioactivity rather than kinship.

Unlocking the versatile potential:Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in ocular surface reconstruction and oculoplastics

This review comprehensively explores the versatile potential of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)with a specific focus on adipose-derived MSCs.Ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgery,encompassing diverse procedures for ocular and periocular enhancement,demands advanced solutions for tissue restoration,functional and aesthetic refinement,and aging.Investigating immunomodulatory,regenerative,and healing capacities of MSCs,this review underscores the potential use of adipose-derived MSCs as a cost-effective alternative from bench to bedside,addressing common unmet needs in the field of reconstructive and regenerative surgery.

Therapeutic utility of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells-based approaches in pulmonary diseases:Recent advancements and prospects

Pulmonary diseases across all ages threaten millions of people and have emerged as one of the major public health issues worldwide.For diverse disease con-ditions,the currently available approaches are focused on alleviating clinical symptoms and delaying disease progression but have not shown significant therapeutic effects in patients with lung diseases.Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells(UC-MSCs)isolated from the human UC have the capacity for self-renewal and multilineage differentiation.Moreover,in recent years,these cells have been demonstrated to have unique advantages in the treatment of lung diseases.We searched the Public Clinical Trial Database and found 55 clinical trials involving UC-MSC therapy for pulmonary diseases,including coronavirus disease 2019,acute respiratory distress syndrome,bron-chopulmonary dysplasia,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,and pulmonary fibrosis.In this review,we summarize the characteristics of these registered clinical trials and relevant published results and explore in depth the challenges and opportunitiesfaced in clinical application.Moreover,the underlying mole-cular mechanisms involved in UC-MSC-based therapy for pulmonary diseases are also analyzed in depth.In brief,this comprehensive review and detailed analysis of these clinical trials can be expected to provide a scientific reference for future large-scale clinical application.

Evaluation of the intracellular lipid-lowering effect of polyphenols extract from highland barley in HepG2 cells

Active ingredients from highland barley have received considerable attention as natural products for developing treatments and dietary supplements against obesity.In practical application,the research of food combinations is more significant than a specific food component.This study investigated the lipid-lowering effect of highland barley polyphenols via lipase assay in vitro and HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid(OA).Five indexes,triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(T-CHO),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),and alanine aminotransferase(ALT),were used to evaluate the lipidlowering effect of highland barley extract.We also preliminary studied the lipid-lowering mechanism by Realtime fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(q PCR).The results indicated that highland barley extract contains many components with lipid-lowering effects,such as hyperoside and scoparone.In vitro,the lipase assay showed an 18.4%lipase inhibition rate when the additive contents of highland barley extract were 100μg/m L.The intracellular lipid-lowering effect of highland barley extract was examined using 0.25 mmol/L OA-induced HepG2 cells.The results showed that intracellular TG,LDL-C,and T-CHO content decreased by 34.4%,51.2%,and 18.4%,respectively.ALT and AST decreased by 51.6%and 20.7%compared with the untreated hyperlipidemic HepG2 cells.q PCR results showed that highland barley polyphenols could up-regulation the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes such as PPARγand Fabp4.

The MORC2 p.S87L mutation reduces proliferation of pluripotent stem cells derived from a patient with the spinal muscular atrophy-like phenotype by inhibiting proliferation-related signaling pathways

Mutations in the microrchidia CW-type zinc finger protein 2(MORC2)gene are the causative agent of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2Z(CMT2Z),and the hotspot mutation p.S87L is associated with a more seve re spinal muscular atrophy-like clinical phenotype.The aims of this study were to determine the mechanism of the severe phenotype caused by the MORC2 p.S87L mutation and to explore potential treatment strategies.Epithelial cells were isolated from urine samples from a spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)-like patient[MORC2 p.S87L),a CMT2Z patient[MORC2 p.Q400R),and a healthy control and induced to generate pluripotent stem cells,which were then differentiated into motor neuron precursor cells.Next-generation RNA sequencing followed by KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes involved in the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK signaling pathways were enriched in the p.S87L SMA-like patient group and were significantly downregulated in induced pluripotent stem cells.Reduced proliferation was observed in the induced pluripotent stem cells and motor neuron precursor cells derived from the p.S87L SMA-like patient group compared with the CMT2Z patient group and the healthy control.G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest was observed in induced pluripotent stem cells derived from the p.S87L SMA-like patient.MORC2 p.S87Lspecific antisense oligonucleotides(p.S87L-ASO-targeting)showed significant efficacy in improving cell prolife ration and activating the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK pathways in induced pluripotent stem cells.Howeve r,p.S87L-ASO-ta rgeting did not rescue prolife ration of motor neuron precursor cells.These findings suggest that downregulation of the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK signaling pathways leading to reduced cell proliferation and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in induced pluripotent stem cells might be the underlying mechanism of the severe p.S87L SMA-like phenotype.p.S87L-ASO-targeting treatment can alleviate disordered cell proliferation in the early stage of pluripotent stem cell induction.